The field of the present invention relates to targets for firearms. In particular, target is described herein that spins and translates when hit.
Shooting targets and competitive target shooting games come in wide ranges of shapes, sized, and varieties. Particularly challenging are those that require hitting a moving target, those that have a marksman working against the clock, and/or those which pit competitors against one another in a test of skill. Targets may also find utility in testing and/or evaluating firearms and or ammunition. Particularly useful are targets that may be set up in a variety of suitable shooting locations, and that are portable.
It is therefore desirable to provide a shooting target that includes a moving target, that enables competition between marksmen, that enables challenging target shooting practice, that enables testing and/or evaluating firearms and/or ammunition, and/or that may be moved among multiple suitable target shooting locations.
Certain aspects of the present invention may advance the state-of-the-art of targets for firearms, and in addition may meet one or more of the following objects:
To provide a shooting target that spins when hit;
To provide a shooting target that spins and translates when hit;
To provide a shooting target that translates in differing directions when hit in differing locations;
To provide a shooting target that may be used for individual firearms practice;
To provide a shooting target that may be used for firearms competition;
To provide a shooting target that may be use for testing and/or evaluating firearms and/or ammunition;
To provide a shooting target having a threaded spinning target rotatably mounted on a threaded shaft;
To provide a shooting target wherein the threaded spinning target may be disengaged from the threaded shaft and slid along the threaded shaft;
To provide a shooting target wherein the spinning target comes to rest in a substantially vertical orientation;
To provide a shooting target having a pair of sliding weights for orienting the spinning target substantially vertically when it stops spinning;
To provide a shooting target with a deflector plate for protecting the threaded shaft from projectile impacts;
To provide a shooting target with a scale for measuring the amount of movement of the target;
To provide a shooting target that may be repeatedly disassembled and reassembled;
To provide a shooting target with supports that may be driven into the ground; and
To provide a shooting target with a base plate.
A shooting target according to the present invention includes: a pair of support members; a threaded shaft supported by the support members in a substantially horizontal position and substantially non-rotatably secured to at least one of the support members; and a spinning target positioned on, supported by, and rotatably engaged with the threaded shaft. The spinning target includes a threaded sleeve on the threaded shaft and engaged therewith so that the threaded sleeve translates along the length of the threaded shaft as the threaded sleeve rotates; a pair of opposing arms secured to the sleeve at their respective proximal ends and extending away from the sleeve; a pair of flattened target plates secured to the respective distal ends of the arms; and a pair of weights each secured to and slidable along the respective arm. The sliding weights insure that the spinning target comes to rest in a substantially vertical orientation. The threaded sleeve may be made sufficiently over-sized so as to enable disengaging of the sleeve and sliding of the sleeve along the threaded shaft. A deflector plate may be provided in front of the threaded shaft to protect it from projectile impacts.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention may become apparent upon referring to the preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention as illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written description and/or claims.